Laminates having at least one pleated lamina are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,431, issued Mar. 22, 1983, to Chodosh teaches a fabric having three substantially coextensive laminae, one lamina of which is pleated. The prior art also teaches the use of rolls 22 and 24 having circumferential grooves and lands to impart lateral stretch to a lamina, as, for example, shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,714, issued May 21, 1985, to Sneed et al. However, the prior art does not show a method to join at least two laminae in face to face relation, at least one lamina being pleated, to form elastically extensible portions of a disposable absorbent article.
Infants and other incontinent individuals wear disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinent briefs, diaper holders, and the like, to receive and contain urine and other body exudates. Absorbent articles function both to contain the discharged materials and to isolate these materials from the body of the wearer and from the wearer's garments and bed clothing. Disposable absorbent articles having many different basic designs are known to the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Re. No. 26,152, entitled "Disposable Diaper" issued to Duncan and Baker on Jan. 31, 1967, describes a disposable diaper which has achieved wide acceptance and commercial success. U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003, entitled "Contractable Side Portions for Disposable Diaper" issued to Buell on Jan. 14, 1975, describes an elasticized leg cuff disposable diaper which has achieved wide acceptance and commercial success.
However, the prior art does not show a method of making a disposable absorbent article having elastically extensible portions which are made by passing an unpleated, elastically extensible lamina and at least one pleated lamina in face to face relation through the nip formed by a pair of rolls, at least one of the rolls being circumferentially grooved.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of manufacturing a disposable absorbent article having elastically extensible portions which are made by passing an unpleated, elastically extensible lamina and at least one pleated lamina in face to face relation through the nip formed by a pair of rolls, at least one of the rolls being circumferentially grooved.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a disposable absorbent article having elastically extensible portions which are made by passing an unpleated, elastically extensible lamina and at least one pleated lamina in face to face relation through the nip formed by a pair of rolls, at least one of the rolls being circumferentially grooved.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.